The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 27, 1999
Filed:
Aug. 02, 1996
Robert E Head, Gilbert, AZ (US);
McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Co., Mesa, AZ (US);
Abstract
A low-profile transportation and storage assembly is readily substitutable with a conventional pair of skid landing gear. The low-profile transportation and storage assembly includes a front auxiliary crosstube having low-profile wheels attached to opposing ends of the front auxiliary crosstube, and a rear auxiliary crosstube having low-profile wheels attached to opposing ends of the rear auxiliary crosstube. Both the front auxiliary crosstube and the rear auxiliary crosstube are readily substitutable with the pair of skid landing gear of a conventional helicopter. A pair of front saddle mounts and a pair of rear saddle mounts secure the front crosstube and the back crosstube of the pair of skid landing gear to the helicopter. The pair of front saddle mounts and the pair of rear saddle mounts can be quickly removed from the aft crosstube and the forward crosstube by removal of expandable bushing fittings of the saddle mounts. These same saddle mounts or other saddle mounts can then be used to quickly and conveniently secure the front auxiliary crosstube and the rear auxiliary crosstube to the helicopter to thereby facilitate transportation and low-profile storage of the helicopter. An improved tail skid mount fitting is provided for holding the tail skid in one of an operating configuration and a low-profile storage configuration. The low-profile storage configuration of the tail skid surrounds and protects a portion of the tailboom of the helicopter.